


The Story of Travelers

by Jay_Bird23



Category: Dororo (Anime 2019)
Genre: All against Daigo, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Violence, Dororo says fuck, I will accept no critique on this point, LET THEM BE BROTHERS DAMN IT, Swearing, also he uses he/him pronouns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:15:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25491475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jay_Bird23/pseuds/Jay_Bird23
Summary: AU where Tahomaru joins Hyakkimaru and Dororo on their journey.Traveling is rough when one doesn't have any money. Especially when one party is used to the life of luxury. But what needs to be done will be done in order to regain what rightfully belongs to Hyakkimaru. Luckily, they convince a new party to join their adventure and has more than enough money to keep them travelling comfortably.Unluckily, not all problems can be solved with money.
Kudos: 22





	The Story of Travelers

**Author's Note:**

> Adds another WIP to the endless stack at the corner of my desk and sighs.

“Take me with you.” 

The statement, full of confidence and determination, does well to hide Tahomaru’s true hesitance at the situation. Yes he snuck out to the forest in the dead of night to find his brother. Yes he made up his mind to stand with Hyakkimaru if he will have him and die if that’s the destiny Fate deals for him. Yes he believes rekindling the relationship with his older brother is the best path for both of them. But he also knows Hyakkimaru might not welcome him with open arms and may kill him for being here. All of that would be well within his rights given what he’s been put through his entire life. 

So Tahomaru kneels in the clearing before his brother and the child he’s taken under his wing, head bowed in a silent prayer that he hopes the goddess of mercy will heed. His heart pounds in his chest and the cloud that passes overhead casts a deep darkness over the land. He doesn’t risk looking up in fear of confirming the hatred in his brother’s eyes. While he knows Hyakkimaru doesn’t have eyes and can’t truly express himself, he also knows that hasn’t hindered him from being very expressive. In fact, in the few interactions they’ve had up until this point has led Tahomaru to believe the false eyes only add to the expression Hyakkimaru made. A hollow depth. It still shakes him to think about it. 

“Bro?” the child asks. His voice holds the hesitance Tahomaru does his best to hide and Tahomaru is grateful for it. It feels right that someone in this interaction expresses fear. Tahomaru is also grateful it’s not him. “What do you think?”

Hyakkimaru is silent. Tahomaru knows he almost always is. One of action rather than words. That doesn’t make it any less unsettling. 

The silence is broken by the crunching of leaves underfoot and the small outcry of the child again. Tahomaru tenses as he listens to the footsteps grow closer, his hand twitching to hold his sword for comfort. It takes all he has not to, understanding the fragile potion they all find themselves in. One show of distrust will lead to a fight and that will lead to a death. No one wants that. 

Well, he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t know what lies in Hyakkimaru’s heart. 

Hyakkimaru stops and Tahomaru presses his eyes closed. He forces his breath even and wills his heart to cease its pounding. Whatever fate designs is what he will accept. 

“Get up.” 

There is no harshness in the words that cut through the night. No anger or bitterness or anything hinting at the animosity Tahomaru feared so greatly. In fact, all that Tahomaru hears in Hyakkimaru’s voice is compassion. 

He finally looks up at the words as the clouds shift from in front of the moon, casting its silver glow on the already pale hand in front of his face. Tahomaru follows the hand up and finds a soft smile on Hyakkimaru’s face. Acceptance. Relief. 

Tahomaru feels his own lips slide into a relieved smile and he accepts the offered hand, climbing to his feet and meeting Hyakkimaru’s gaze. Hollow as always, but the creases around his eyes show his true feelings at the situation. 

Joy. 

“We need to move,” Hyakkimaru says once they release their hold on one another. 

“Bro’s right,” the child says, his own grin shining brightly when Tahomaru finally looks at him. “People are bound to notice you up and vanishing like this. We don’t wanna be around when they do.” He folds his arms behind his head as he turns and starts toward the treeline, his giant careless and confident. “I hope you brought money, cause we’re kinda low right now.” 

Hyakkimaru nods once before turning and following the child. Tahomaru makes note to catch his name as he too follows the pair deeper into the forest. He casts one more look over his shoulder, then plunges into the darkened treeline. 

No more regrets. 

#####

*Timeskip, six months later * 

The autumn sun sets in the distance, taking with it the heat of the day and stretching the shadows like dark fingers across the land. The money Tahomaru managed to smuggle out in his escape has long since run out and leaves them with limited options on shelter for the night. It’s been days since they’ve seen a village and longer since they’ve found a monster. While Tahomaru and Dororo are grateful for the break, they can see Hyakkimaru’s growing discomfort swirling under the surface. Neither of them have the energy to try and comfort him. 

Many days on their journey are spent like this. Hungry, antsy, tired. Those feelings he could adjust to easily. After a few weeks of travel with the pair, Tahomaru realized his palace garb weren’t suited for the long distances his brothers seemed to travel regularly. While he is fit, Tahomaru was also sheltered for a majority of his life. He never needed to struggle too hard to distinguish himself in training and prided himself on his swordsmanship amongst his peers. 

However, his first skrimitch out in the wild proved how little battle training he truly had. While he did manage to bring down one of his attackers, their erratic movements and lack of proper training made it hard to track their movements and predict their strategy. Of course, they could have not had a strategy to start with, but Tahomaru couldn’t tell either way. All his focus was on keeping his feet stable on the uneven ground and struggling not to trip on his clothes. 

As soon as the battle was over, he traded in his royal wear for something more suitable for life outside the palace.A simple gray robe with a deep blue belt to keep his swords. Dororo scolded him endlessly about trading the clothes rather than selling them and the money they could have brought in. On and on until Hyakkimaru silenced him with a question about their next village and the monster that needs to be slayed. Tahomaru passed him a grateful look and while Hyakkimaru couldn’t see it, he smiled back. 

However, smiles have been a rare commodity nowadays, even for Dororo. Everyone’s energy is sapped and the determination to keep moving is limited at best. Even Hyakkimaru seems less than enthused about killing the monster lurking in the woods near the next village. The village that the old man said they were supposed to encounter two days ago, mind you. At this point, Tahomaru is starting to doubt the legitimacy of the claim, but he keeps from voicing his complaints since Dororo doesn’t have the same restraint. 

“How much longer are we supposed to walk?” he says for the third time today. Of course Tahomaru could be miscounting, but he wouldn’t know. He’s long since stopped keeping track and he can almost guarantee Hyakiimaru has too. “The old man said it would be right past the old temple. It’s been ages since we’ve past it!” 

“It shouldn’t be too much longer,” Tahomaru grumbles back. His patience is wearing thin and he can barely find the energy to keep the edge from his voice. Despite the time that they’ve spent together, Tahomaru still has trouble adjusting to his current living conditions. He’s spent his entire life sheltered and pampered in the palace, future heir to the throne of what could have become one of the richest territories in the country. Walking for days on end without food isn’t something he’s accustomed to. Yes he’s adjusting, but he allows himself a learning curve and some time to complain. He chose this life, yes, and he doesn’t plan on going back. That doesn’t mean he was instantly prepared for what that entailed when he made his decision. 

“We should set up camp for the night,” he says instead. “It’s getting late and we shouldn’t walk around in the dark.” 

“There’s a river,” Hyakkimaru says, finally speaking for the first time today and pointing east. “We camp there.” 

“Maybe there’s fish,” Dororo says hopefully, his eyes shining with an energy Tahomaru thought had burned out hours ago. “Bro, you should see if there’s fish!” 

“When we get there,” Hyakkimaru promises as he takes the lead and changes their direction. 

Dororo’s energy seems renewed by the time they reach the riverbed, not hesitating to wade into the cool water to search for fish in the fading light. Hyakkimaru watches with sightless eyes as Dororo treks through the water and Tahomaru takes post beside him. 

“We should start a fire,” Tahomaru suggests after a moment. “If anything can be caught, it will need to be cooked. Plus it’s hard to see on such a cloudy night.” 

Hyakkimaru hums. “Seems fine to me.” 

It takes a moment for the statement to sink in before Tahomaru lightly punches his brother’s arm. A proud smile slides up on Hyakkimaru at his own joke and Tahomaru can’t help but laugh with him. It’s easy to do so nowadays. Laughing with the brother he once called enemy and mend the strings of brotherhood that were unwillingly severed long ago. Now that he’s seen Hyakkimaru for himself, the young man just trying to live a human life rather than the demon his Father tried to portray him, he finds himself growing more and more attached. Of course he would, they’re brothers after all, but he is surprised at how quickly the bonds are mended.

“Bro!” Dororo calls from his place in the river. “I think there are fish here!” 

“There are,” Hyakkimaru confirms easily. “They like your feet.” 

“What does that-- OUCH!” 

Tahomaru laughs as Dororo clutches his foot and swears at the fish. He can assume the fish have already fled from his shouting and flailing, but he doesn’t tell Dororo that. It would only upset him more to know his cries are going unheard.

Hyakkimaru also smiles at the antics and the swearing, but just as quickly as the smile comes, it’s wiped away. His attention shifts to something beyond Dororo and he tenses in alertness. “Dororo.” 

Tahomaru hears it too. The crashing of body through brush and the pounding footsteps of pursuit. Something is coming. “Dororo!” 

“Bro!” Dororo calls back, too occupied with his own frustration to hear the oncoming danger. “Get over here and kill these fish!” 

Hyakkimaru prepares to call again, but is silenced when something bursts through the treeline. Dororo cries out in fear as the figure plows into his awareness, but he doesn’t have time to react before he’s bowled over and pinned by the new figure. Unsurprisingly, the new figure, a man Tahomaru deciphers once the clouds part again, looks just as shocked as Dororo is at the sudden meeting. His shock, however, is quickly replaced by a fearful determination as he watches Tahomaro unsheathe his sword and Hyakkimaru remove his arm. He scoops Dororo under an arm and removes his own blade with the other, jamming the point against Dororo’s neck hard enough to draw blood. The brother’s freeze and watch the man carefully as he scrambles to his feet with Dororo in tow. 

“I don’t want to kill the kid,” he says firmly. “Just let me borrow him for a minute.” 

“Borrow me!?” Dororo shouts, the shock of the situation finally dissipating and leaving his usual annoyance. “Fuck off! Let me go!”

“You heard him,” Tahomaru bites. “Let him go.” 

“He’ll kill me if I don’t have a hostage!” the man cries out. “I just need to escape. Once I do that, I’ll let the kid go.” 

Tahomaru’s resolve wavers. “What?” 

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” 

A new voice. A new figure. A silent new addition to the group that only Hyakkimaru seemed to notice since he’s the only one who didn’t jump at the statement. The man jumps harshly and spins, hoisting the blade in front of him in an attempt at a threat. It holds no merit, though, given how badly the blade shakes and how harshly his knees tremble. 

The new figure, however, lifts its hands in the intended reaction. Tahomaru can see there’s no fear in the gesture. No hesitance or uncertainty. As simple as someone raising a hand in greeting. 

“Stand back!” he calls, now turning in desperate circles to see both the new figure in front of him and Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru behind him. “All of you! I’ll kill the kid, I swear!” 

“You’ve already killed plenty of children in your time,” the new figure says, the voice as calm as the water he stands beside. “Adding one more would only add to the list of reasons I have to kill you now. But the kid has people to care for him, so I’d rather not have them kill you since that’s my job.” 

The man turns to face the figure on the other bank and Hyakkimaru takes a step forward. He’s in the river now, arm lifted to let the sword glimmer dangerously in the moonlight. “Dororo.” 

Tahomaru mimics the step forward and knocks a stone in the water, the sound drawing the man’s attention to them and causing him to point the blade at Dororo’s throat again. “Stay back!” he calls. “Stay--” 

A glint of silver, then the man’s words cut off with a choke. A crimson line wraps around his neck like a fine necklace, the blood that flows from it a mockery of jewels and chains. The man makes one more bastard attempt at speaking before he stumbles left and falls unchecked into the water. Dororo releases his own shout of confusion as he’s pinned, then shrieks in terror once the head rolls from the body and stares him in the eye. He scrambles from under the body and retreats back to Hyakkimaru’s side. 

“Sorry ‘bout that,” the new figure says. There’s a short, viciously sharp sword held carelessly in his hand and he slides it back into its casing on his lower back. “Slippery bastard got away when I let him take a piss. Got all the way out here too. What a bother.” 

Dororo, now confident in his place beside Hyakkimaru, steps forward and jabs an accusatory finger in the new man’s direction. The clouds overhead obscure a majority of the moonlight, but they can still make out the deeper blackness that makes up the new arrival. 

“Who the hell are you?” he asks loudly. “What’s going on here?” 

A low chuckle rolls from the figure’s lips and he shakes his head. “No need for introductions,” he says, waving his hand in dismissal as he steps forward. 

Dororo steps back and Tahomaru lifts his sword dangerously. Only Hyakkimaru seems undisturbed by the movement. “Oi,” Tahomaru threatens. “Stop--” 

“I’m just collecting my bounty,” the new man calls, crouching low and grabbing the severed head by the hair to lift it into view. “I don’t want any trouble.” He ties the head in a spare cloth and attaches that to his side before rising. “From one traveller to another, I wouldn’t stay out here for the night. It’s dangerous and there’s supposedly a monster running around.” He turns and folds his arms behind his head as he walks back across the river. “I’m heading to a village if you want to follow. Not too far from here, actually. Only a few minute’s walk.” 

Tahomaru could fall over in his shock and Dororo voices his own frustration with a heavy groan. “Are you serious!?”

The man doesn’t answer, simply exiting the water and crossing into the treeline. Dororo exclaims in shock and grabs Hyakkimaru as he replaces his arm. “We gotta follow him,” he decides, turning and snagging Tahomaru’s robe and dragging both of them into the water. “If we lose that guy, we could lose the village!” 

Dororo somehow keeps pace with the mystery man as he weaves his way through the trees, calling to uninterested ears for him to slow down and let them catch up. He stumbles a few times over tree roots and other unseen obstacles in their trail, but the new man does nothing in terms of complying with the requests.

Tahomaru is still uneasy about following someone who kills so easily into the unknown blackness, his sword drawn and held tightly as he’s led. Dororo also seems to have his doubts, shouting questions and asking for clarification in their destination. Of course, all of his questions go unanswered, but he asks away anyway. 

Hyakkimaru seems to be the only one at ease with whatever may happen next. He doesn’t say anything as they move through the brush save the occasional late warning about tripping hazards. And he doesn’t have any questions about their plans to stop. Tahomaru whispers a question about his confidence in the issue, but all Hyakkimaru says is 

“He’s human.” 

Which Tahomaru supposes counts as an answer. He just wishes he knew what it meant. 

As promised, only fifteen minutes pass before a patch of light breaks through the darkness of the forest. Dororo sighs in relief at the sight and even Tahomaru finds himself relaxing at the promise of an inn, or with their lack of funds, a barn to sleep in. Anywhere relatively sheltered from the elements would be fine at this point. At this point of their journey, he’s slept in the rain at least five times and has hated every one. With the way the clouds look, he’s sure it was about to be a sixth. 

“This is a big village,” Dororo says as he releases the brothers and follows the man down the steep hill leading to the village entrance. “We’re bound to find something to eat here!” 

The man breaks away not long after they reach the entrance, sparring not a glance as he disappears into the surprisingly large crowd of people gathering this late at night. Hyakkimaru gazes off in the direction he went for a long moment before Dororo pulls back from wherever his mind went. “I wonder what his problem is,” the youth grumbles. “He barely even apologized for dropping a dead body on me.” 

“I barely saw what he looked like,” Tahomaru admits, finally replacing his blade back into its sheath on his hip. “It was too dark to make out anything.” 

“He’s human,” Hyakkimaru repeats with the same certainty as before. 

Yet again, it doesn’t mean much in terms of clarification, but apparently it means a lot to Hyakkimaru that everyone knows that.

“We should find something to eat,” Tahomaru suggests. 

“With what money?” Dororo counters. “I say that guy owes us something for our troubles!” 

With that, he turns in the direction Hyakkimaru fixates on and strides forward confidently. Tahomaru calls out once but falls silent when Hyakkimaru follows without protest. Seeing no other way out of the situation, he sighs in defeat and he, too, follows behind. 

It takes more than a few minutes to find the man from before, standing before a board of posters near the back edge of town. Now that there’s more light from the lanterns around them, Tahomaru takes a moment to study him. He’s smaller than Tahomaru with the deeply tanned skin of a foreigner stained and dirtied with the blood of the earlier man. His hair is long and tightly curled, piled on his head in a messy updo that barely stays in its place when the breeze goes through it. He’s dressed in the tattered remains of what looks to be traditional, dark blue ninja garb, though his feet are without the usual shoes and are instead bare and dirtier than all of his other parts combined. He studies the board lazily, dark eyes flicking over each picture with little interest but staring long enough to read each description written underneath. 

Once they get close enough for him to read, Tahomaru does. He, too, studies a poster for a moment before realizing what he reads and humming thoughtfully. “Bounties.” 

The word draws the attention of the man and he frowns slightly. “What?” 

“These are bounties,” Tahomaru repeats. “That must make you a bounty hunter.” 

“I know what I am,” he says, his eyes narrowing in lazily disinterest as he returns his gaze to the board. “I meant what do you want?” 

“Payment!” Dororo announces, causing the bounty hunter to glance down at him. “You caused me pain and suffering, and I think I’m owed something for that.” 

The bounty hunter remains silent for a moment, staring flatly at Dororo for a long second before sliding his attention back to Tahomaru. There’s a certain intensity in the gaze that hides under the disinterest and it makes Tahomaru uncomfortable to be studied as such. He does his best to keep impassive, though, and he fights a relieved huff once the attention turns away. The hunter turns his gaze to Hyakkimaru and he meets the gaze head on, his sightless eyes being the only ones able to hold the same intensity it’s under. After a second, the bounty hunter smirks and chuckles humorlessly under his breath. Hyakkimaru’s brow pulls together in confusion at the sound and even Tahomaru finds himself lost at the quiet laughter. 

“What’s so funny?” Dororo asks in annoyance. “I’m being serious here!” 

The hunter’s gaze returns to the board and his hand slides into a hidden pocket in his clothes, returning not a second later with a lumpy, overstuffed coin purse. He doesn’t turn away from the board as he moves it over to Dororo and drops it in his waiting hands. 

“Whoa!” Dororo gasps as the weight hits his palm. “Where’d you get all this?” 

Tahomaru won’t admit that’s almost exactly what he was thinking.

“Does it matter?” he counters, reaching up and snatching a paper from the board. “Consider yourself paid.” 

There’s no other words exchanged as the bounty hunter turns away from the board and passes by the trio. Hyakkimaru keeps his attention on him the whole time, then points at himself and causes the hunter to pause. “Hyakkimaru,” he says, followed by an expectant silence and a long, unblinking moment of staring. 

The hunter stares back for a while, uninterested for half the time before finally allowing his lips to slide into a coy smirk. “Nice to meet you,” he says. He then turns his attention back to the village and continues forward. 

Hyakkimaru watches him go with an intense curiosity and starts slightly when Dororo grabs his robe. “Hey, bro! We have enough money to get a room at the inn!” 

“And a bath?” Tahomaru suggests hopefully. “I would like a bath.” 

“Yeah, yeah, rich kid,” Dororo teases. “We can get you a bath. First, we need to get our place at the inn before they sell out for the night.” 

Dororo starts forward toward the inn, chatting idly about something or another as Tahomaru stats to follow behind. He takes a few steps before realizing he’s not being followed then turns to face Hyakkimaru. “Brother?” 

Hyakkimaru still stares off into the distance where the bounty hunter went, a childlike curiosity still on his face as he watches the people (or more precisely their souls) pass by. “He didn’t say his name?” 

Tahomaru can’t help but laugh at the mild offense in his brother’s tone and shakes his head. “Some people are like that,” he says. “Not everyone in the world is nice you know.” 

“I know,” Hyakkimaru counters, this time turning to face Tahomaru and making his way forward. “But he was rude.” 

Tahomaru laughs again and pats his back in condolence when he passes by. “There are more rude people in the world than you know,” he explains as they walk. “You should be prepared for it.” 

#####

The night at the inn turns into a week and a half spent hunting the monster that refuses to show itself. Thankfully they weren’t hoping for a payment on this one since the bounty hunter left more than enough money to sponsor their trip comfortably. Hyakkimaru, however, is still anxious to kill the monster, growling and grumbling more as the task proves unsuccessful each time they go out. No one seems to be in a rush to move, though, since 1) the monster still hasn’t been killed and 2) the village is nice and the inn is dry. So instead of complaining about moving, the trio find themselves complaining about the lack of monsters in the area. 

“Come on!” Dororo exclaims as they retrace the forest path back to the village for the ninth time since they’ve arrived. “Do you think the old man lied about there being monsters here?” 

“I doubt it,” Tahomaru says, though he’s become good enough at lying at this point that he almost convinces himself it’s true. “The villagers do seem hesitant on moving outside of city limits after dark and do their best to keep the lights on throughout the night. I doubt they do that because of bandits.” That much is true. 

“I wish it’d show up faster,” Dororo continues. “If we don’t see it soon, we’re going to have to move on.” 

“Person.” 

The three stop at Hyakkimaru’s statement and follow the finger he points off into the trees. Tahomaru cautiously fingers the hilt of his sword and waits for the person Hyakkimaru indicated. Dororo tucks himself closer to Hyakkimaru’s side as a dark patch peels away from the tree line and the bounty hunter looks up at them, squinting dangerously as he falters his next step and stops completely. 

Dororo recovers from the shock first and points. “You!” 

The bounty hunter’s head tilts slightly. “Me?” His attention flicks to each of them for a moment before landing solidly on Hyakkimaru and his eyes -- eye to be more precisely since one of them is swollen shut and blackened -- widen a fraction. “Oh,” he says, though there’s no real excitement in the tone. 

There is, curiously, a hint of delight.

“You.” 

“You,” Hyakkimaru repeats. “Bounty hunter.” 

“Hyakkimaru.” 

Dororo groans loudly. “Yeah, yeah, we all know each other. What are you doing here?” 

“I could ask you the same question,” the hunter replies, continuing his walk forward. When he gets close enough, the trio can see how injured he is. He limps slightly but does his best to hide it under a casual, confident swagger. His left eye is swollen shut and there’s blood splattered on his face, though most of it doesn’t seem to be his own. There are bandages on his right arm and leg and a heavy looking, lumpy bag on his back. “I thought you woulda left days ago, and I swear I told you about monsters being here at night, yeah?” 

“That’s what we’re looking for,” Tahomaru explains, releasing his hold on his sword once he sees the hunter is unarmed. Not unarmed, but not a threat, at least not at this moment. “We’re hunting it.” 

“Sounds like a waste of time,” the bounty hunter says decidedly as he reaches the three. “Every time the monster is sighted, so is a death. I don’t feel like hearing about another death caused by some assholes who’s egos got too big for their reality.” 

“Bro here’s killed more monsters than anyone I know!” Dororo declares. “He’s gonna kill this thing, no sweat.” 

The bounty hunter hums in amusement as he passes by and studies Hyakkimaru. “Good luck with that.” 

Tahomaru wants to respond, but he doesn’t have the chance before Hyakkimaru tenses and spins. “Monster.”

“Eh?” Hyakkimaru grabs his arm and pulls it off to reveal the blade underneath, causing the bounty hunter to stumble back a few steps in shock. “EH?” 

“It’s coming,” Hyakkimaru says instead of an answer. “Get back.” 

Tahomaru removes his sword as well, taking an instinctive step closer to Dororo and putting himself on guard beside his brother. Even the hunter, who has seemed pretty nonchalant up until this point, uneasily scans the surrounding area and grips the sword handle on his back tightly. All is silent for a long moment, then chaos erupts. 

A long, black tongue whips out from the trees and slices the air between Tahomaru and Hyakkimaru’s heads. The hunter cries out in shock for a moment before he’s cut off with a choke, causing the brothers to turn just in time for him to bowl them down as he’s yanked away. 

“It’s got the bounty hunter!” Dororo cries as the brothers scramble to their feet. 

“We noticed,” Tahomaru grumbles as he straightens and helps Hyakkimaru do the same. “Stay back.” 

“Bounty hunter,” Hyakkimaru calls, then launches himself toward where he was dragged, not bothering to look back since he knows Tahomaru is already going to be right behind him. 

Meanwhile, the bounty hunter chokes and struggles in frustration against the black strap of a tongue as it closes off his airway. Black dots swirl in and out of his vision as he’s repeatedly knocked and tossed against trees, rocks, and other life that makes its home in the forest. It takes all he has not to pass out from the pain stacking itself on top of the injuries he’s obtained during his last bounty hunt and he fights to reach his sword. His hand is knocked away every time he makes progress and as his mind hazes over more decidedly, he finds himself relenting to his fate. 

Just as suddenly as the tongue made itself comfortable around his neck, it releases him and the momentum carries him through the clearing in the trees and causes him to roll to a stop in front of the owner of said tongue. The hunter barely has a chance to regain his breath before he has to move again, throwing himself to the side as the tongue slams down in the space his head just was. The bag on his back weighs him down, but he doesn’t slow down to think about it as he snatches his sword and lashes out. He manages to scrape the tongue and earns a pained roar from the monster before it swipes an arm wildly and bats him away. 

His back slams into a tree and he grunts in pain. The bag on his back rips and the heads of his bounties spill out, scattering haphazardly on the ground. The hunter himself follows suit soon after and can’t even find the air to grunt in pain, instead finally taking a second to breathe and refocus. 

The monster stands at least twice his height and who knows how much it outweighs him. Its thick, green hide pulses with corded muscle that flexes under the skin with each movement. Black spines protrude along its backbone and in each joint, making the hunter feel grateful he wasn’t hit by one of those when he was struck earlier. He’s also acutely aware of its lack of eyes and the tongue that swings wildly through the air above his head. 

It must rely on smell he reasons, hoisting himself to his hands and knees and rolling to the side yet again. Maybe if he-- 

The monster roars and snatches his attention to the left and its tongue slices through the air, only to be sliced off. Deep blue blood sprays from the wound and the beast cries out in pain, stomping and rearing blindly as it attempts to regain control. Hyakkimaru lands lightly between the beast and the hunter, his sword aimed at the monster as he glances over his shoulder at the hunter on the ground. “Get back.” 

“Fuck off,” the hunter bites, pushing to his feet and using the tree he hit for stablization. “I’m completely fine.” 

Hyakkimaru hums then returns his attention to the monster. In the split second it takes for him to turn his attention forward, the beast’s tongue lashes out and wraps around one of the heads on the ground. The hunter cries out in annoyance as the beast reels it in and it disappears behind its jaw as it snaps shut. “That’s my bounty!” 

“It seems to be drawn to corpses!” Tahomaru calls as he makes his appearance through the trees. “Get away from the heads!” 

“These are my bounties!” the hunter snaps back. “I can’t just--” 

The tongue lashes out for another head but is intercepted by Hyakkimaru’s blade. The beast roars and wraps its tongue around the blade, and in turn his arm, lifting Hyakkimaru from his feet and flinging him off into the trees. Tahomaru takes the opportunity to launch himself into battle. He cries out and swipes at the monster, opening a deep crimson smile on its hind leg and drawing attention to himself. The beast whirls and lashes out, nearly taking him out had the bounty hunter not intervened. His short sword is a blur as it slices the clawed hand off in a single motion then swings again and severs the arm at the joint. 

Another pained roar and another attempt for the heads. Its bloody tongue makes for the corpses and is caught by Hyakkimaru, his blade piercing the muscle and taking hold. He’s dragged toward the beast and leaps the rest of the way toward it, landing harshly and driving his swords through the top of its head. The monster doesn’t even cry out again as it rolls over and dies, leaving an uneasy silence in a world previously full of sound. 

The bounty hunter huffs and slowly lowers himself to a sit, replacing his blade to its sheath and rubbing his sore ribs. “God damn,” he breathes. “What a night.” 

“Are you alright?”

His eyes slide up and lock onto a pair of deep brown eyes. The man before him is young, barely his age or younger and there’s a concern in his gaze that the hunter can’t remember ever being shown in the past. He doesn’t know how he feels about it entirely, but the prominent feeling seems to be annoyed.

“You got pretty injured in the fight,” the young man continues, offering a hand and a warm smile. “Can you stand?” 

The hunter hums and accepts the hand. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he says as he’s pulled up. “Just scratches and whatnot.” 

“Those look like more than scratches.” 

“Glad to hear it.” 

The young man looks like he wants to respond, but his eyes flick away and a yelp of surprise replaces whatever he was about to say. “Hyakkimaru! What are you doing!?” 

“Bounties,” Hyakkimaru says, drawing the hunter’s attention back to where the first man looks. Hyakkimaru stands where the hunter fell, his arms (well, swords really) full with the five remaining heads that weren’t eaten by the monster. He looks confused at the tone the other man uses and he takes a couple steps toward them. “For the bounty hunter.” 

“Put them down!” 

The bounty hunter huffs a flat laugh and limps over, sliding the empty bag off his shoulders and shaking it out a bit. After a quick glance to confirm that nothing tore besides the button used to keep it closed, he steps to Hyakkimaru and holds it open for him. “Put them in here,” he instructs. “Thanks.” 

Hyakkimaru gives a quick nod and does as told, glancing up for a brief moment as the small child the men were traveling with bursts through the trees. “Bros! Did you kill it!?” he calls, eyes darting around the opening and landing on each party for a moment before landing on the dead monster. “Is the bounty hunter ok?” 

“The bounty hunter’s fine,” the bounty hunter replies, flipping the top flap of the bag closed once the final head is deposited and carefully slinging it over his shoulder. “And the monster’s dead. I don’t know what order you wanted those questions answered.” 

“Great!” The child scampers over to Hyakkimaru, cradling the prosthetic arms protectively and helping Hyakkimaru replace them once he’s within range to do so. “Do you feel anything coming back?” 

“No,” Hyakkimaru says, his tone holding a hint of remorse as he glances up as the final man makes his way over. “Monster. Not demon.” 

The bounty hunter blinks in confusion for a moment, then shrugs and turns back to the path they were so forcefully dragged from. He doesn’t reply as he listens to the trio calling for him to wait, nor does he slow his pace when he’s asked too. Instead he picks his way back to the path and only slows when the young child grabs his pants leg and pulls. 

“You’re really rude, you know,” he says, earning a downward glance from the hunter as he continues back to the village. “You should learn to listen when people talk to you.” 

“You should learn to listen when you’re ignored,” the hunter counters flatly. “I’m busy.” 

“You don’t seem busy to me.” 

“I’m working.” 

“You’re carrying a bag of heads to a village?” 

“I”m turning in bounties. Let go.” 

Dororo loses his grip on the hunter’s pants when he gets dragged over a tree root, nearly face planting had said hunter not grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. He doesn’t have a chance to regain proper footing before the hunter spins him to face behind them and gives a light shove. That alone is enough for Dororo’s already fragile balance to fail again and he stumbles into Tahomaru’s waiting arms. 

“He really is an asshole,” Dororo grumbles as Tahomaru helps him stand properly. “What’s his problem?” 

“He’s probably just sore and tired,” Tahomaru excuses. “If we see him when he’s not, he’ll probably be friendlier.” 

“I doubt it,” Dororo says, turning and stomping back to the village. “He seems like a pain.” 

“We don’t know his name,” Hyakkimaru adds unhelpfully.

“I don’t think we need to,” Dororo says, folding his arms behind his head irritably as they crest the final hill to the village. The hunter is already gone at this point and no one is surprised. “I doubt we’ll be seeing him again and I can’t say I really want to.” 

“Want to.” 

“Huh?” 

Dororo and Tahomaru turn their attention to Hyakkimaru as they walk, noting the almost distant look on his face as he stares at the space the hunter used to occupy. “I want to know.” 

The new pair share a glance of confusion before returning their attention to Hyakkimaru. “Why?” 

Hyakkimaru remains silent, focused forward as they cross the entryway into the village. Tahomaru and Dororo share another silent look, but they, too, return their attention forward when they realize they aren’t going to get an answer. The tired trio make their way to a restaurant and eat their fill before making their way back to the inn and settling in for the night. Hyakkimaru is quiet, as usual, but he’s more distant than previously, staring off into the distance and humming noncommittal when addressed. He settles into bed unusually early and falls asleep quickly. At least, Dororo and Tahomaru assume he’s asleep since he doesn’t need to close his eyes to sleep and he’s always pretty still. Nevertheless, the two stand on the small balcony to talk. 

“Do you believe something is wrong with my brother?” Tahomaru whispers as they watch the pedestrians bustle about under the warm lantern light. “You know him better than I do.” 

“I don’t think something’s wrong with him,” Dororo replies lazily. “I think he has a crush.” 

“A crush?” 

Dororo hums in confirmation. “The last time I’ve seen him like this was with Mio,” he explains quietly. “And that was a while ago.” 

“But how can my brother have a crush on someone he’s met twice? They don’t even know if they have anything in common?” 

Dororo shrugs. “Crushes work in weird ways. Haven’t you had a crush before?”

Tahomaru’s face tints pink and he pointedly looks to the sky. “I am. . . Was the heir to the Daigo empire. I didn’t have time for ‘crushes’ since I was focused on learning how to run a kingdom. Plus my marriage would have been arranged for me to marry someone of equal status to combine our power and broaden the hold we had on the country.” 

Dororo studies the side of Tahomaru’s face for a second and smirks knowingly. “You got rejected, didn’t you.” Tahomaru starts violently and turns his head fully away from Dororo, causing the youth to laugh loudly and cover his mouth to quiet himself. “You did!” 

“Leave me alone.” 

“Was it that bad?” 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Aw, come on, I won’t judge!” 

Tahomaru sighs and shakes his head, shifting to lean against the railing and somberly watch the ongoings down below. “It wasn’t going to work anyway,” he sighs. “She was a maid. My parents never would have allowed it. She rejected me gently and we never spoke of it again.” 

The two lapse into a silence that stretches for a few minutes, both parties watching the lanterns sway in the gentle breeze and make the shadows dance underneath the feet of the thinning crowd on the streets. 

“Well, things are going to be different when you and Bro get back,” Dororo assures. “Once that happens, things will change and you can marry whoever you want to, yeah?” 

The hope in Dororo’s statement causes Tahomaru to smile and he reaches down to pat his head. “Yes,” he says wistfully. “That sounds nice.” 

They get to bed not long after the conversation, each taking post on either side of Hyakkimaru and drifting off into a comfortable, deep sleep. The sun is high in the sky when they wake up and the day is in full swing when they make their way out into the world to look for breakfast. Luckily food isn’t too hard to come by and they decide to leave not long after, chatting idly as they trail through the village toward the exit. 

Hyakkimaru is quiet again today as they walk, continuously scanning the streets with an unbroken focus. Tahomaru and Dororo don’t comment since they already know who he’s looking for, but they also don’t slow their pace to accommodate him. Besides, he’s not having problems with keeping up even in his distracted state. 

They’re just about to reach the exit when Hyakkimaru’s posture straightens. “Bounty hunter.” 

It takes a moment for the other pair to find who Hyakkimaru is referring to but manages to pick him out thanks to the dark clothes they wear even during the day. As usual, his gait is lazy and his posture is slumped, giving him an appearance of a delinquent or a criminal rather than a skilled bounty hunter. He still has his limp from last night, more pronounced now that he’s had a chance to rest and fully feel everything rather than move and fight all the time. He also looks to be leaving the village and from the piece of paper poking from his pocket, the sighted duo ventures a guess that he’s on a job. 

The pair exchange a look, then glance at Hyakkimaru, who still openly stares at the bounty hunter with a faint trace of hope on his face. They share another look, then a sigh, then Dororo picks up his pace and waves excitedly. 

“Hey! Bounty hunter!” 

The hunter glances over his shoulder then frowns in annoyance as Dororo makes his way to his side. “What?” 

“Where’re you going?” Dororo asks through his most charming smile. 

“Away.” 

The smile falters but doesn’t fall completely. “Any particular direction?” 

“Not here.” 

“That’s more of a location rather than a direction.” 

“Good to know.” 

Dororo groans in annoyance, then sighs heavily through his nose to calm his temper. “You got a job,” he says matter-of-factly. “Another bounty?” 

“I am a bounty hunter.” 

“In this village?” 

“Two towns over.” 

Dororo gasps in shock. “Really? That’s where we’re heading too!” 

The bounty hunter narrows his eyes skeptically. 

Dororo examines the bandages and black eye with a thoughtful gaze. “You seem pretty beat up,” he notes. “Especially from the monster fight last night, yeah?” 

The bounty hunter remains silent as they cross through the entrance. 

“It’s pretty dangerous to travel alone in your condition, you know. Bounty hunter or not. In fact, I’d say being a bounty hunter with an injury makes you a bigger target since you’re bound to have enemies. You need muscle.” He puts on the expression of having just thought of something and snaps his fingers. “I got it! How about we travel together? We’re all going in the same direction, aren’t we? It’s not even an inconvenience. Besides, my bros are the best fighters I know. They can keep anyone safe. I won’t even charge you that much for our services.” 

The hunter studies the child for a moment before tilting his head to look over his shoulder where Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru trail behind a few yards. He sighs through his nose after a second and returns his gaze forward. “I doubt me saying no will do anything,” he says tiredly. “Just don’t get in my way.” 

A victorious grin splits Dororo’s face and he snickers triumphantly. “I knew you had a soft spot for us,” he jokes as the other two close the distance between themselves. “Maybe you’re not such an asshole.” 

“No, I’m an asshole,” the hunter corrects. “I’m just--” 

“Hyakkimaru.” 

The group stops and all turn to Hyakkimaru, who faces the hunter directly and points at himself. The remaining three exchange a curious look and the hunter raises an eyebrow. “What?” 

“My name is Hyakkimaru,” he repeats. 

“Yeah, I got that.” 

“I think he’s asking for your name,” Tahomaru says. “I guess we never did exchange names. I’m Tahomaru.” 

Dororo jabs a finger into his chest proudly. “I’m Dororo.” 

“Hyakkimaru,” Hyakkimaru repeats, then points at the hunter. 

All eyes flick to him expectantly and stare, causing both of the hunter’s eyebrows to slide up in what could be alarm if the expression could actually reach his eyes. The initial alarm passes and his expression shifts from alarm to almost amused. He smirks faintly, turns, and shoves his hands in his pockets as he begins to walk again. 

“Don’t hold your breath for a name,” he starts. “I don’t have one.” 

**Author's Note:**

> AYO! I started and finished the show last weekend and this fic popped into my head as I was watching. I'll try to post on a bi-weekly basis with my other fics, so be on the lookout if you're interested in it. 
> 
> Be sure to leave kudos and/or comments if you like this! You're great! 
> 
> Also, yes this will be a canon/OC relationship fic, fight me about it. 
> 
> Also also, no promises all chapters will be this long.


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